Annunciator.



' A. LUNGEN.

ANNUNGIATOR.

APPLTOATION FILED OUT. 13, 1909.

Patented Mar.28,1911.

nu: nomus PTER3 5a., wAsNlnara/v. 11;.

UNITED BTATES PATENT @FFICE.

ADAM LUNGEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB- TO EDWARDS & COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ANNUNCIATOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADAM LUNGEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, in the borough of Bronx and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Annunciators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to annunciator signals and more particularly, annunciators in which the banner or indicator is moved to either of two positions of throw.

It is my purpose to provide an annunciator of this class in which the banner or indicator is made with a fiat or plane sur face having a movement on an axis perpendicular to such plane, the amount of movement being limited between two definite extreme positions of throw. By my invention these extreme positions are symmetrical with respect to the other features of the mechanism, and may be employed indiscriminately to designate any signaling purpose. Or one position may be considered the normal or non-signaling position, and the other arranged to have the banner exposed through a window, or the like.

ran important feature of the invention consists in the provision of a lock for the banner or indicator which holds the latter at either extreme position of its throw against displacement by any outside influence. In accordance with my invention this locking means is made a part of the mechanism for obtaining the movement of the banner.

Another purpose of my invention is to provide for a magnified movement of the banner or indicator by a comparatively limited movement of the armature, and furthermore to have a varying power factor in the displacement of the banner by the armature so that the armature is not appreciably loaded with the movement of the banner until it has overcome its own statical friction and inertia, and has moved into a very efficient position of attraction with respect to the pole. As will later appear, I accomplish these purposes by a cam connection between the armature and the banner.

A further feature of my invention consists in a form of armature which I employ, and which is adapted to secure a maximum attraction and arc of movement with the least expenditure of operating current. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

Application filed October 13, 1909. Serial No. 522,470.

armature is adapted to prevent sticking against the pole of the magnet by any residual magnetism therein. The frame of the mechanism is designed to serve as part of the magnetic circuit in addition to its purpose as a support for the parts. I make all the parts of stamped sheet metal, and with the purpose of simplifying the con struction I have reduced the numb-er of parts, except the magnet bobbins, to three, namely, the frame, the armature and the banner. Each of these parts is, however, formed and constructed to secure a variety of special functions, as will be later particularly pointed out.

IVith the foregoing and other objects in view my invention consists in the features of construction and combination as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of a semaphore annunciator embodying the principles of my invention. Fig; 2 is a similar view in an alternate position of throw. Fig; 3 is a perspective view of the frame. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the armature. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the banner and shutter.

Referring to the drawings in which like parts are designated by the same reference sign, 1 denotes a frame stamped of sheet iron having a U-shape in side elevation, and an inverted T-shape in front elevation, the lower part being in the form of a flatplate or base 2, with skeleton inverted V-shaped sides 3, which project upward and form standards for the armature pivots.

5 designates ears on the base 2 with perforations 6 for screws by which the frame is fastened to any supporting surface.

8 and 9 are magnet bobbins with cores 10 screwed to the base 2 on opposite ends thereof, so as to project upward in planes equidistant at each side of the standards 3. In accordance with my invention, I provide elongated poles 11 for the magnet bobbins 8, 9, with iron washers or collars 12 located immediately adjacent to the end of the winding and forming an upper shoulder to support the same, these washers or collars having a particular function, as later described.

lt denotes the armature, which I make of stamped sheet metal, having a pivot axis 15 on which it is supported from the standards 8. For convenience, I stamp the armature with a pair of trunnions 1'? rounded and fitting into holes 18 of the standards, so that the armature can tilt freely on a horizontal axis between the magnet bobbins. The parts 16 of the armature on each side of the pivot axis project in planes making an angle with one another, this lgle determining the arc of throw of the armature in use. Each such part 16 of the armature is perforated with a hole 19 so located and of just suiiicient size. as to p iit e projecting portion of the adjacent magnet pole to enter therethrough when this part of the armature moves downward over said pole. in this movement the under flat face of the armature moves toward the face of the adjacent washer or collar 12. The armature is prevented, however, from sticking to the collar or washer against which it moves, by an ear or extension at its end which contacts with the insulating washer 21 of the adjacent magnet bobbin.

ncnotcs an arm, which I make integral on the armature and deflected in a plane at right-angles to the pivot axis thereof, extending downward adjacent to one of the .dards 3. ln order to avoid interference ..nl the said standard, 1 make the arm with a semi-circular or delta shape at the point of its attachment to the body of the armature, this construction straddling the standard at the location of the armature axis. This arm constitutes in itself a pointer or indeiv, but as a part of my present invention, I this arm the operating means for a separate banner or indicator which is not only moved through a magnified angle of throw, but is locked at each extreme position of move ment by the action of the armature.

denotes a stamping of thin sheet metal, although it is obvious that any material or method of construction may be used, my pre ferred construction being folded at a point into two outwardly curved prongs or .20 flakes 27, the inner side edges of which are bent over so as to establish a pair of divergent curved walls 28 in a plane slightly olfset from the main portion of the stamping. it this point a wire 29 is soldered or fixed, the wire being journaled in a pair of downwardly bent lugs 30 on the base. In this way, the banner is pivoted to swing in the plane of its face and parallel to the plane of movement of the armature. The of the armature projects between the curved walls 28 and is adapted to cotiperate there- .with by a cam movement to throw the hair nor to one side or the other. The main portion of the banner projects upward from the pivot axis 29, and has an enlargement 32, which I make of skeleton formation with over-turned lips 33 at each side. A card t with any suitable inscription may be engaged and held between these lips.

The circuits of the appliance may be arosaooa ranged in any manner desired, but I prefer to make use of the principle of a three wire system, grounding one terminal of each bobbin on the frame 1, and leading the other terminal of each bobbin to a separate circuit wire, thus providing for separate and selective energization of the two magnet bobbins S, 9. When the bobbin 9 is energized, the part 16 of the armature is drawn down over the projecting pole 11 and against the collar 12, or more properly into a position in intimate proximity to such collar where the car 20 engages the end of the bobbin. By this means the arm is thrown to the left in Fig. 2 during which movement it engages the curved wall 28 and tilts the banner to its extreme left-hand position of throw. i t the completion of this movement the arm projects in a direction practically normal or perpendicular to the wall 28 and also to the direction of movement thereof, so that movement to the right is absolutely prevented, no ma 'ter how much strain may be put upon the banner. Further movement of the banner to the left is also prevented by the engagement of the other fluke 2? with the arm 22 near the top thereof, the arm being incapable of movement past a certain point on account of the car 20 of the armature. The banner is thereby fixed in one definite limited portion of throw and is absolutely locked in this position against movement in either direction except such movewent as is instituted by a proper movement of the arn'iature. ll hen the other bobbin 8 is energized, the armature will swing to its other limit of throw, and the arm 22 will first be moved with its uppermost portion in engagement with the outermost portion of the adjacent fluke 27. This corresponds to a very high leverage or large power factor. As the armature swings, the leverage becomes less and the velocity of'the displacementof the banner proportionately greater until, when the movement is about half com. pleted, the arm projects directly into the fork between the liukes giving a maximum rapidity of displacement. The remainder of the movement of the armature accomplishes the locking function as first described. The foregoing relation of power and velocity factors, is highly useful from the standpoint of best working efliciency, because during the first part of the move mentof the armature it is remote from the attracting pole with proportionately enfeel led attraction, and furthermore its initial movement is subjected to all the resistance of statical friction and inertia. Accordingly, it is desirable that its movement at this time be loaded as little as possible. This is done by the great leverage of its engagement with the banner. Later when the inertia and statical friction of the armature is overcome and it is moving swiftly toward the pole with increasing velocity and increas ing attract-ing force, it becomes desirable to increasingly load its movement with the movement of the banner. This is done as above described. At this time the magnet poles are just entering the perforated portion of the armature, corresponding to the greatest available attractive force. The attraction of the collar 12 for the armature is, however, sufiicient to complete the movement of the armature with the resultant locking of the banner in the manner already described.

It will be observed that the magnetic circuit of the bobbins is completed through the separate standards 3 to the armature and thence to the pole pieces of the bobbin, making a magnetic circuit which is open at remote positions of the armature and closed by the movement of the armature, resulting in high attractive efiiciency.

What I claim, is

1. In an annunciator, a pair of magnet bobbins, an armature having an arm disposed at an angle to the body of the armature, and a banner having a pair of curved fiukes adapted to be engaged by said arm.

2. In an annunciator, a frame having a base and a standard, a magnet bobbin fixed to said base, an armature pivoted to said standard and having an arm disposed at an angle to the body of the armature, and a banner pivoted to said base and having a pair of flukes adapted to be engaged by said arm.

3. In an annunciator, a frame having a base and a pair of standards, a pair of magnet bobbins fixed to said base, an armature pivoted between said standards and adapted to move into selective engagement with said bobbins, said armature having a projecting arm, and a banner pivoted to said base and having means engaging said arm, whereby it is displaced with a magnified movement.

4:. In an annunciator, a frame having a base and a pair of standards, a pair of magnet bobbins fixed to said base, an armature pivoted between said standards and adapted to move-into selective engagement with said bobbins, said armature having a projecting arm, and a banner pivoted to said base and having divergent outwardly curved flukes engaging said arm, whereby it is displaced with a magnified movement and a gradually decreasing power factor.

5. In an annunciator, a pair of magnet bobbins, a pivoted armature having an extended arm, and a banner movable in a predetermined path and having diverging curved elements between which such arm is disposed, the arm making rolling contact alternately with said elements, the point of contact between said arm and an element being relatively near the pivotal point of the armature when the banner is at one end of its path of movement, and relatively distant therefrom when at the other end of said path.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

ADAM LUNGEN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM J. SMITH, CYRUs Rooxwooo.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

